The county Board of Supervisors approved a motion nearly two years ago to establish a countywide “prevention services task force.” On Tuesday, the board agreed to implement the task force’s recommendations, which aim to prevent discrimination in all county operations.
The motivation behind creating the task force was a 2021 UCLA Pritzker Center report, which found that the county’s prevention efforts had not been effectively integrated and supported across departments. Supervisor Holly Mitchell proposed the idea of a permanent internal agency or task force to address this issue countywide.
Over the span of 18 months, the task force met and developed 14 recommendations that cover four areas: governance structure and coordinated service delivery, funding streams analysis, community-based service delivery, and prevention metrics and data integration.
Mitchell’s motion emphasizes that the recommendations prioritize equity and aim to rectify the harm caused by racist systems that negatively impact communities of color.
In addition to promoting prevention-centered programs throughout the county, the task force urges the board to proactively address structural racism within county systems. The motion emphasizes the concept of “promotion,” which goes beyond prevention and focuses on improving life outcomes for individuals and communities. Promotion involves providing support to children, families, and communities to achieve holistic well-being and reduce the likelihood of negative outcomes.
Mitchell’s motion replaces the task force with a permanent “Prevention and Promotion Systems Governing Committee.” The committee’s main responsibility would be to oversee the coordination and collaboration of prevention and promotion services.
The motion also directs the board’s Executive Officer, county CEO, county counsel, and other department heads to provide staff support for the committee and hire an executive director.
The committee will consist of eight county department directors or initiative executive directors, representing relevant county departments and board priorities. The initial director will be the director of the Department of Public Social Services, and the initial funding allocated will be $4 million.
The motion emphasizes the need to create a prevention and promotion services delivery system that addresses historical disinvestment and uplifts county residents towards positive life outcomes. It calls for the county to utilize all available resources to actively move towards equitable prevention and promotion for the shared constituency.
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